The Russian keeping Crouch out of the team scored his seventh and eighth goals in six hot appearances and, between them, Defoe and Pavlyuchenko have now scored 14 of Spurs' last 17 goals.

'The way he was training and playing it looked like he wanted to go back to Russia, but since the transfer window closed he has knuckled down and is in top form,' said Spurs manager Harry Redknapp of Pavlyuchenko.

'If he continues like that, we've got every chance of finishing fourth.

'Nineteen points from our last 10 games might be enough, but we've got some tough games, including Arsenal , Chelsea and Manchester United in the space of two weeks.'

Master marksman: Jermain Defoe hit his 23rd of the season to put Spurs 1-0 up

Blackburn did pinch a goal through Chris Samba in between Pavlyuchenko's pair to give themselves late hope, but they were always struggling after losing goalkeeper Paul Robinson to a torn calf muscle before the half-hour.

They were not helped by the refusal of an early penalty appeal by referee Howard Webb with the game goalless.

England's World Cup refereeing representative had a stinker.

'The main reason we lost that game was our poor defending,' admitted Rovers manager Sam Allardyce.

'But the referee's decisions did have an effect on the game.'

Red-hot: Roman Pavlyuchenko scores his first goal

Blackburn began with a verve to belie their away record of six points all season and it might have been different had Webb responded when Vedran Corluka hauled down David Dunn.

'A blatant penalty,' lamented Allardyce.

They were helped by an initially sluggish Spurs and when Pavlyuchenko scooped over the bar and smashed another good chance wide, it looked as if it might be one of those days which had seen Spurs lose at home to Stoke and Wolves.

Then came the nerve-soothing opening goal.

From Niko Kranjcar's corner, Corluka flicked on a header and Defoe stabbed home at the far post.

Bullet header: Christopher Samba fires in Blackburn's consolation

The second arrived early in the second half when the lively Luca Modric played a ball forward to Defoe, who ferried it on to Pavlyuchenko and his shot from the edge of the penalty area dipped under substitute keeper Jason Brown's body.

Spurs should have had the chance of a third when Michel Salgado clipped Gareth Bale's heels, but the well-placed Webb elected against awarding a penalty as if wanting to even matters up.

'I never seem to have any luck with Howard Webb,' said Redknapp.

They looked unlucky again when Samba held down Michael Dawson to head home Morten Gamst Pedersen's corner, but Spurs spared themselves a nervy finish when Bale's precise, low cross found Pavlyuchenko alone at the far post for a tap-in.

Fizzing wide: Spurs' Gareth Bale goes close

Redknapp and Allardyce were left locked in conversation after Nikola Kalinic had a late goal questionably disallowed.

'Sam said to me, "This referee is not very good, Harold old chap",' explained Redknapp. 'I said, "No Samuel, my good friend, you are spot on". Or words to that effect.'